1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lever-engaged connector in which male and female connectors are engaged with each other by operating a lever.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
FIG. 10 shows a frame-coupled connector 1 which has been disclosed by Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 6-251826. The connector 1 comprises a female connector section 3 provided on a junction box body 2 (shown in FIG. 11) such as an electrical junction box, male connectors 5 fitted in the hood 4 of the female connector section 3, and a frame 6 fit the male connectors 5 in the female connector section 3. The frame 6 comprises a body 7 in which the male connectors 5 are swingably provided, a swing leg 8 protruded from one side of the body 7, and an operating protrusion 9 protruded from the other side of the body 7. The swing leg 8 has a slide shaft 10 at the end. The slide shaft 10 is fixedly inserted in a slide groove 12 formed in a frame supporting section 11 which is formed around the female connector section 3.
As shown in FIG. 11, with the slid shaft 10 fitted in the slide groove 12, the operating protrusion 9 is depressed in the direction a so that the male connector 5 are engaged with the female connector section 3. The male connectors 5 are disengaged from the female connector section 3 as follows: The operating protrusion 9 is pushed in a direction opposite to the direction a to swing the frame 6 also in a direction opposite to the direction a thereby to pull the male connectors 5 out of the hood 4 of the female connector section 3.
In this operation, the slide shaft 10 is a fulcrum while the operating protrusion 9 is a force point, and therefore an action point is defined by each of the supporting portions of the male connectors 5, which is swingably supported. This relationship makes the male connectors 5 be engaged with the female connector section 3 with a small force. That is, the engagement of the male connectors 5 with the female connector section 3 can be achieved with a small force.
The above-described frame-coupled connector 1 suffers from the following difficulty: During operation, the side wall 7a is bent outwardly, so that the portions 100 which swingably support the male connectors are liable to come off.
Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, in the case of a male connector 14 having a cover member 13 on the side surface of a wire lead-out side; that is, in the case of a connector of that type that it accommodates a crimp terminal 15 suffers from the following difficulty. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, when a wire is laid, the cover member 13 is liable to bend outwardly; that is, it is liable to be deformed. Hence, when the connector is operated, the body 7 is more liable to be bend outwardly.
Furthermore, when the wire 16 is laid, the cover member 13 is liable to bend. Hence, as shown in FIG. 14, the crimp terminal 15 is deformed.